Woods Fund of Chicago


The Woods Fund of Chicago is a private independent foundation in Chicago, whose goal is to increase opportunities for less-advantaged people and communities in the Chicago metropolitan area, including the opportunity to shape decisions affecting them.
The Woods Charitable Fund was incorporated in Nebraska in 1941 by Frank Henry Woods, Sr. and Nelle Cochrane Woods of Lincoln, Nebraska and their three sons: Thomas Cochrane Woods, Sr. of Lincoln, and Henry Cochrane Woods, Sr. and Frank Henry Woods, Jr. of Chicago, and operated in both Lincoln and Chicago for 53 years through 1993, when the Woods Charitable Fund was reorganized into two separate foundations, with separate officers, boards of directors, and staff.
The Woods Fund of Chicago was incorporated in Illinois on November 15, 1993, and effective January 1, 1994 was allocated 70% of the market value of the assets of the Woods Charitable Fund and began operation and continued the Fund's philanthropy in Chicago, while the Woods Charitable Fund continued its philanthropy in Lincoln.
The principal for the foundation came from business interests in the Lincoln Telephone & Telegraph Co. of Lincoln, Nebraska, the Sahara Coal Co. headquartered in Chicago with mines in Saline County in far Southern Illinois, and Addressograph-Multigraph Corp. of Cleveland, Ohio.
In 2004, the Woods Fund of Chicago was the 43rd largest foundation in Illinois by total assets with assets of $67,304,215.

Mission statement

The fund describes itself as "a grantmaking foundation whose goal is to increase opportunities for less advantaged people and communities in the metropolitan area, including the opportunity to shape decisions affecting them. The foundation works primarily as a funding partner with nonprofit organizations. Woods supports nonprofits in their important roles of engaging people in civic life, addressing the causes of poverty and other challenges facing the region, promoting more effective public policies, reducing racism and other barriers to equal opportunity, and building a sense of community and common ground."

Finances

In its 2006 annual report, the fund said it had made $3.1 million in grants to more than 70 local organizations. At the time, the fund had $58 million in assets.

Presidents and Directors

Woods Charitable Fund